Battlestar Galactica - Downloaded

Here is a new development that turns out to be particularly clever: on Caprica, the Cylons occupying the world "resurrect" (also calling this process reincarnation) the sixth model, responsible for seducing Gaius and gaining access to the security defense that led to the near extinction of the human race. The clever part is that Six sees and hears Gaius Baltar, influenced by him, quite a vice versa from what we have seen the previous two seasons as Gaius has been navigated almost like a puppy by Six!

Six was brought back so she could convince Sharon, eighth model, also resurrected because she nearly executed Admiral Adams, having shot him on his own bridge. Who would have thought these two might form an alliance to OPPOSE the Cylons?!

Number Three (Lawless, returning as special guest) tries to determine if Sharon should be “boxed”, her consciousness “locked away” due to being considered a Cylon problem in need of separation. But Number Six (well her “resurrected” form, that is), listening to Baltar, convinced that just executing all of humanity was wrong, equipped with a conscience now, truly surprised me. I really grooved to this “change in formula” from what we had been accustomed to—the BG’s human forces contending with the Cylon threat (and each other). And the irony of Baltar convincing Six to free Anders and secure an alliance with Sharon (still reeling from the loss of Tyrol and “being forced” to shoot Adama) as it correlates to Six’s influence over Baltar on the BG (he sent a nuclear weapon to Gina, who is behind a pro-Cylon peace coalition including humans who decry military authoritarianism, and continues to allow Six’s voice to influence his decision-making, including a rivalry with Roslin and protection of Cylons when he can) is a fascinating twist. So you might see Gina, leading humans to oppose a large military power in favor of seeking a peaceful coexistence with the Cylons—with Baltar a silent ally—within the fleet (protected and a major leader) and, on Caprica, Resurrection Six and Tyrol’s Boomer forming a team in the hopes of convincing other Cylons to abandon the “kill all humans” mindset in favor of seeking peace themselves. This really propels the show into some interesting directions!

The subplot about Helo and Boomer’s hybrid baby being taken and given to a human mother who can’t have children gives food for thought regarding whether or not Roslin has that right to make such a decision. It questions how much power should anyone have, even though the decision has merit considering what the Cylons might do if they were to gain access to the baby. Adama also in favor of this (Tigh would have preferred just to abort it), while Cottle (who Boomer nearly strangles when he informs her “their baby died”) is clearly bothered by Roslin’s decision, a faux baby replaces the hybrid, allowing Helo to send its ashes into space. Boomer, deeply grief-stricken is taken back to her cell, left to believe that Cottle killed the hybrid baby. There is an early scene where happy parents, Helo and Boomer, hold the baby’s hand, just so full of joy. Six abusively attacks verbally and “physically” Baltar for allowing “their” child to perish. Roslin refuses to allow the Cylons advantages she and Adama could perhaps deter.

Lawless, last seen as a reporter putting together a puff piece on the BG, in actuality a Cylon spy, gets to be the schemer hoping to nudge Six into convincing Boomer to shake off her affinity towards humans. She gets a boulder to the back of her head for her trouble. Anders, the wild card in all of this, sets off the bomb that renders a parking garage rubble, his fate in the hands of Six and Boomer. I think, if anything, this episode reassures us that Starbuck’s beau is still alive…so perhaps “reunited never felt so good”?

3.5/5